England’s most stunning “national landscapes” are largely out of bounds, and 22 of the 34 have less than 10% of their area open to the public, research has found.

The government last year renamed areas of outstanding natural beauty to national landscapes, and said part of their aim was to widen access to nature. Ministers said at the time the new name reflected a recognition that they are not just beautiful but important for many reasons including improving wellbeing.

The National Landscape Association, a government-organised body representing national landscapes and their conservation boards, advertise that “they are the UK’s nearby countryside – 66% of people in England (44 million) live within 30 minutes of a national landscape and at least 170 million people visit them every year”.

However, new research by the Right to Roam campaign has found that only a tiny fraction of most of these beautiful areas are freely accessible for walking and other forms of outdoor recreation.